This invention relates to a relatively low cost, disposable syringe designed to reduce or eliminate accidental needle strikes by enabling selective position control of the needle from an injecting position to a retracted and locked position.
Hypodermic syringes are used for a variety of injection procedures including the delivery of medicinal drug and anesthetics to a patient. Once the injection procedure is completed, problems can arise if the syringe is not disposed of properly and adequately. Healthcare workers are susceptible to accidental and potentially infectious needle strikes if the needle is carelessly handled or broken during disposal of the syringe after use. If an accidental needle strike does occur, a blood test is typically required to determine whether the worker has been infected. The cost of performing such tests and the loss of personnel time attendant upon such tests can be particularly damaging to a healthcare facility striving for economy and efficiency.
There are several known syringes designed to provide retraction of a syringe needle after use. In some such designs, the apparatus is designed such that the needle is retracted within the same ampoule which initially housed the medication dispensed with the syringe. In other known devices, the retraction mechanism is designed to retract the used needle within the syringe housing and lock the needle in the retracted position.
While such known designs have been found suitable in a wide variety of applications, none is compatible with a standard syringe needle using the luer-lock design. In the luer lock design, a single ended needle is bonded to a plastic carrier member, the needle being received within a central opening formed in the carrier and bonded to the carrier by suitable adhesive. The carrier is provided with externally formed threads designed to threadably engage the syringe housing. Such needles have found wide use, and are available in several standard sizes. Consequently, the need exists for an economical disposable syringe which is compatible with the luer-lock type of needle assembly and which provides safe handling and disposal for such needle assemblies, as well as other attachable needle assemblies, after use.